The Marksman
by Teeganhi
Summary: The people of Yu Yan were notoriously known for their violent behavior. An elite squad of archers, who had a tendency for leaving no survivors. With incredibly precise aim, fast and agile combat skills, and a small, quick, silent nature. They never missed a shot. This is who the Yu Yan Archers were. Terrifying. Mysterious. Ruthless. But this was not always their way. (ZUKO/OC)
1. Prologue

**HI OK HI OK SO HI!**

 **Hi ok so I uploaded this FOREVER ago, hated how it was starting, took a lot of time to rewrite the background and plot for this character and story, and NOW I AM UPLOADING IT AGAIN YEHAWWWW.**

 **So here it is! And here are a few things to keep in mind.**

 **I am co writing this story with another amazing ATLA fan, Chloe.**

 **I do not own anything Avatar the Last Airbender**

 **THIS! STORY! WILL! NOT! NORMALLY! BE! IN! THIRD! PERSON! It will normally be in first person ok? Ok.**

 **I NEED A BETA PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ I would love you forever 3**

 **I would LOVE some suggestions, ideas, and constructive criticism on this story! Please just be nice about it I am so sensitive.**

 **If you have any questions! Please ask! I will answer them in the next chapter!**

 **Ok much love! Hope you like reading about Amaya and her background! And if you think this chapter is moving fast, it probably is. Because it's just her history. We have yet to get started on her actual story.**

 **K LUV YA**

 **-Teegan**

The people of Yu Yan were notoriously known for their ruthless behavior. An elite squad of archers, who had a tendency for leaving no survivors. Working directly for the Fire Lord himself, these men would complete tasks most would find impossible. With incredibly precise aim, fast and agile combat skills, and a small, quick, silent nature. They never missed a shot. Their skills were unmatchable, an art they had passed down from son to son, a talent that is simply not gained in one lifetime but built into them; running through their genes, their blood. This is who the Yu Yan Archers were. Terrifying. Mysterious. Ruthless. But this was not always their way.

Sho was the last known chief of the Yu Yan island. The tiny island was so small you couldn't find it on a map. Off to the East side, they sat closer to the Earth Kingdom than they did to the Fire Nation, but the territory was still considered to be ruled under the Fire Lord. During this era the warriors lived only a peaceful life; practicing and training in archery for the sake of art and hunting, but to never bring harm to another living man. During the beginning of his reign as chief Sho would welcome many Fire Nation vessels that arrived on his shore with nothing but kindness. The first ships arrived in his first year as chief. They guaranteed the tribe protection, and in return requested the use of the Yu Yan Archers. In fear, Sho sent three of his best men with the general. Three years passed and all was peaceful on the island. Sho was becoming more and more respected as chief. Sho and his younger brother trained new warriors. But after three years another Fire Nation ship arrived, this time coming with the request of five new warriors. Sho and his brother spent the next two days debating weather or not to compel with the general.

"Brother, you wish me to guide you in wisdom, please do not go through with this. Our people are nothing but peaceful. We cannot let this Nation use them for their petty war."

Sho gave a sad look at his only brother. He grabbed his arm to affirm him.

"Nao, I simply cannot refuse this man. If I do, he will start a war with us. Think of the cost of five men, compared to our entire village. Please."

Nao looked down with sadness. "Then our people go extinct, like the Air Nomads. But we go extinct holding on to our beliefs."

Sho was far too good hearted to watch his people turn to ruins. He ignored his little brother's advice and again handed five of his warriors over to the general, who gave his thanks and then left once more. Over the course of the next five years, Nao and his wife bore a beautiful baby boy. This gave Sho the want for a child as well. He married the beautiful woman who had his eye since he was a child, and they were very happy together ruling over the island of Yu Yan, along with his brother and his family.

It only took Sho and his wife a few months to discover she was barren. Heartbroken and bitter, Sho and his wife, Rei, watched longingly as Nao brought up his boy, who would soon begin training as a warrior. Rei expressed to her husband how badly she wanted to raise the finest warrior Yu Yan has ever seen, she spent her days daydreaming staring off into a world unseen. A world where she raised a strong and big warrior to protect their people, that would bring her and Sho's name honor, that was courageous and brave. She wanted to raise nothing more than the best archer to walk all the land.

Near the end of these five years, Rei had a dream more vivid and more real than anything she had experienced. In her dream, Izanagi- who was the spirit of life- approached her. "I have heard your prayers." Izanagi said. "I will grant you with a child. Your baby will go down in history as the best Yu Yan archer to ever live. You and your husbands name will be honored, your people will be honored. Raise this blessing well."

Rei woke with tears of happiness in her eyes as she ran to Sho to share the great news. The entire tribe rejoiced after hearing how the spirit was going to grant them an amazing warrior. They all danced and celebrated for three days, giving their blessing and good wishes to the chief and his expecting wife. As the months dragged on, Rei grew in size more and more, and her excitement grew as well. This was the happiest of times. And then a Fire Nation vessel once again rose on the horizon of their sea.

This time a new face stepped off the ship, approaching Sho, recognizing him as the chief from his tribal tattoos. The man gave a curled smile, that somehow wasn't as friendly as the man who had come twice before him. He bowed in front of Sho with respect.

"How pleased I am to meet you, Sho. I am Captain Zhao."

Sho said nothing. Already suspicious of this man.

"General Iroh would have come back for the third time, but he's currently stationed in the great city of Ba Sing Se. I have come in replacement of him."

Captain Zhao then demanded ten more Yu Yan warriors. This greatly upset Sho and the rest of the village. Sho again spent time with Nao discussing, arguing, and yelling over what they should do. And again, against the advice of his younger brother, Sho reluctently handed over ten more warriors. As Zhao boarded the ship behind the ten solem archers, Sho roughly grabbed his arm, pulling his face toward him.

"If you return with the request of more of my warriors, we will go to war with you."

Zhao grinned at Sho.

"My… that would be a waste of amazing talent. But I shall pass on your warning to General Iroh. Best wishes."

With that the ship sailed away, holding ten more warriors captive in it's stomach, headed in the direction of the Fire Nation.

This event sent a ripple of panic throughout the island. Mothers cried in fear of losing their sons next, the warriors were on edge with Sho; for willingly sending away more warriors, the men trained in archery harder than ever before in case of a Fire Nation attack. Some even went as far as leaving the island completely, stealing a fishing canoe in the middle of the night and sailing away to safer land, where there were no risk to the Fire Nation stealing them away. In the midst of all this panic and stress, Rei went into labor far too early.

Sho paced outside his hut for hours, listening helplessly as his beautiful wife screamed in agony. He not only feared for his unborn child's life, but now for his wife's. The hours of the night soon became the hours of the morning, and just as Sho could see the outline of the sun rising above the ocean's water, black clouds swallowed it and rain began to heavily beat down on the island. The winds uprooted trees, blew over huts, and sent the worried tribe inside to their own homes. Sho continued to pace outside, the lightening brightening the sky for the brief moments that the strikes lasted. Rei gave a scream so agonizing that it sent Sho erupting into the hut, and to his relief and surprise, the cry of a baby began just as he entered. He ran to his wife's side and kissed her exhausted and sweaty face. He continued to congratulate Rei, tears running down his face as the beautiful sound of a baby's cry mixed with the loud boom of thunder. As the women cleaned off his new child he and Rei looked up, ready to meet their warrior boy.

"My son. I want to hold my son." Rei breathed.

There was a concerned silence from the women. Their stature appeared to be confused, and they whispered questions among themselves. Sho demanded they tell them what was wrong. The two midwives slowly walked over, one carrying a swaddle in her hands, placing it in the arms of Rei. There was a long moment where no one talked. There was just the noise of rain as it slapped against the roof, and a small boom of thunder as it roared over the ocean. Rei and Sho looked into their babies golden eyes. And heard the small voice of one of the midwives say;

"Your son appears to be a daughter."

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Rei did not eat, drink, or look at the baby for three days. Sho tried to use reason with her, but to no avail. His wife was fully convinced that their child was a bad omen, a curse to their people. A sign that nothing but death and disappointment would come to the island of Yu Yan. The entire tribe was convinced as well, since- according to Rei- a spirit had promised a baby boy to the chief and her, and he would become the greatest warrior alive. After Rei had grieved for the son she had wished for so badly, she woke in the middle of the night, grabbed her sleeping daughter, and disappeared into the woods.

Sho searched desperately the entire next day for his newborn and his wife. He sent out search parties and even went out to look himself. He was sick with worry when he noticed the sun was setting, but he then saw the shadow of someone appear near the edge of the woods just as another storm was rising in the sky. He raced over and grabbed his wife, hugging her with great relief. In tears he kissed her, and then his stomach sank when he noticed their daughter was not in her arms. Enraged, he demanded to know what she did with their child. Her voice dripped with anger and hatred when she stated that she had rid of it. In a fury, he shook his wife by his shoulder, the first rain drops began to fall.

"What did you do to her! Where is our daughter!" He screamed.

"It doesn't matter, she is dead anyways." Rei retorted, and marched back to the camp.

The rain began to fall harder. In his worried outrage, Sho followed the tracks of his wife through the forest. He cursed in hurt and frustration. He ran through the mountains and the trees, the lightning again helping light up his surroundings and helping to lead him to where he would hopefully find his child. He walked all night, and began to fear the worst. Finally the tracks led him to wear a bundle lay in the wide open night. Not expecting his daughter to be alive, Sho picked her up in his arms, and was amazed when he saw the tear stained face peer back at him. He cried in relief as his baby began to wail. He couldn't stop looking into those yellow eyes. It was right then and there, in the middle of the island as the rain poured on the two of them… where his only child was left for dead, that Sho felt love in it's purest form. And he made the decision in that exact moment, that he would die for the tiny human he held in his arms. He began the trek back to camp, walking slowly to be sure to not disturb the baby he held in his arms. The sun was half way up by the time he reached camp, the air was brisk and nipped at the father's face as he walked to the centre of the village. He raised his voice so everyone could hear;

"Let all know, as of right now, if anyone tries to harm my daughter, this will be an act against our people as a whole. Punishable by death. I will raise my daughter on my own, I no longer consider Rei as my wife."

People began to crowd around, surprised mumbles and questions rose from the tribe.

"I am going to raise her to become a Yu Yan Archer." Sho proclaimed, making it clear for

everyone to know. People voiced their concerns about this in the crowd.

"Only men can be Yu Yan Archers."

"She's too tiny and sick. I doubt she will make it through the winter months."

"How can you lead us and raise a child on your own?"

"What a sad decision to raise a child without her mother."

As the voices questioned the morality of the situation, Sho's deep and loud voice silenced the people. "Let it be known!"

He then said the prayer that the people of Yu Yan blessed their sons with. Sons who would soon become Archers. Then he fittingly named his daughter Amaya. Meaning; rain in the night.

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Amaya was raised being rejected and disliked. Change is against human nature. And this change made the entire island uneasy. Some suspected that the spirits would be angered, some were uneasy with a girl holding such a powerful position within the tribe. Most just didn't think she could follow through with her warrior training.

But nonetheless, Sho raised her with much love. He didn't let her know who her mother was, but Amaya of course knew. She knew because of the looks Rei would give her of disapproval and regret. Amaya knew before she probably knew anything else. But even with this constant tension between the two girls, they never spoke a word to each other. Not once. It was sad for Sho to see his daughter being brought up knowing that she was loathed so greatly by her mother. Loathed to a point that Rei could not even be close to her only child. But despite the constant negative energy surrounding the young girl, Sho could not have done a better job raising such a respectful, kind hearted, and loving child. She only started by feeling loved by her father, uncle, and cousin; but as she grew she slowly began to win over the hearts of the people. With her defiant dimples, stubborn personality, and sweet nature, it was almost impossible to not smile at the little one.

Sho kept his promise, and a week after Amaya turned seven, she began training, just like the other boys. No one liked seeing her shoot an arrow, or seeing her practice throwing punches, or even just simply wearing her apprentice face paint. She was clumsy at first, small and fragile. Amaya was constantly getting knocked over, pushed around, and snickered at by the other students. Her mentor, who also happened to be her cousin, didn't give up on her. Takeo was very patient and kind. They were quite the odd pair, Takeo being very strongly built, while Amaya was small. It was hard for her to even pull the string back on the bow, whereas the others could shoot with ease. But every time she did manage to let an arrow fly, it hit her target. Amaya was definitely her father's daughter, and soon it began to show. With much help and patience, her weaknesses soon became her strengths. Her small build was perfect for slyness and agility, and her flexibility came in handy with the hand combat skills. The young warrior even developed some of her own fighting moves before she turned ten. Over the years she grew in strength, power, and talent. With extra help from Takeo she became the top of her apprentice group. The suspicion of the people soon became amazement and acceptance. Amaya was finally getting respect.

The day finally came where she was to perform her learnings to the people of Yu Yan, with hopes of passing off her final training, and becoming the first female archer to live. She exceeded the expectations as she publicly showed her learning, hitting all the targets, using different techniques, showing her agility with hand on hand combat, and showing how strong she was by throwing her fellow apprentice on the ground in defeat, proving to one and all that she was equipt and ready. At the end of her performance, Amaya looked into the faces of her people to see no more anger, no more hatred, and no more suspicion. She even thought she saw a smile on the face of Rei. The eleven year old not only graduated a year early, but earned her bow and quiver that night. She was blessed with high honors, and would go down in history as the first girl to be a warrior of Yu Yan.

All finally seemed well with Amaya. That night her and her tiny family celebrated with dumplings and rice cakes. Her and Takeo laughed as their fathers joked around with their chopsticks. They told stories that night, using the shadow of their hands from the fire to create characters and act things out. Amaya had never been so happy. But that happiness did not last long.

A Fire Nation vessel was on their shore in the morning. And Captain Zhao stepped off the ramp and onto their shores. Amaya watched from a distance as her father and the Captain had what seemed to be a very heated conversation. It lasted a long time. Amaya thought it was strange how her normally welcoming and friendly father would not invite Zhao to the village for tea, and did not even let him off the ramp of his boat. After a few more moments of them arguing at a distance, Amaya gazed after her uncle as he joined whatever it was they were talking about. Another few long moments passed, and just as Amaya began to question if she would have to fight, the captain turned on his heel, marched up to the ship, and it pulled away into the sea. After the chief and his brother watched the boat for a while, the two walked back. Amaya was immediately frightened by her father's expression. She had never seen him look so worried or concerned.

Amaya sat outside while the entire village had a meeting, and held back tears as the tribe blamed her for whatever was happening.

"The spirits obviously didn't want you to make a girl a warrior!"

"It is simply against our ways!"

"She is why he want's to take more of our warriors!"

Sho raised a hand, which immediately made the entire congregation go silent.

"My daughter is the not the issue at hand. The Fire Nation has been causing trouble for us since before Amaya was even born. I warned Zhao last time that we would not give him any more of our people. Since that is the case, we must prepare ourselves for battle."

There was an uproar that night. People protesting and women crying. Amaya wandered to bed and lay there trying to block out the enraged cries of her people. Guilt ripped through her, but she had to stay strong. Sho came into her room that night, and tucked a stray piece of her hair behind her ear.

"You know that they do not mean what they say, they are acting out of fear and not reason." He softly said.

Amaya nodded. He kissed her forehead, and blew out her lantern, standing up and heading to his own quarters.

"Father?" Amaya said in her whisper voice. Sho stopped and turned his head. "I love you." Amaya stated.

He grinned back. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, Amaya. I love you." With that he slid her door shut.

And that was the last conversation they would ever have.

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The next morning Amaya led her first ever hunting party. Her and a squad of three other warriors left early before the sun rose, traveling along the ridge of the tallest mountain on the island. The season was early spring, and during this time the water elk spent their mornings drinking in the river, preparing for the mothers to have their calves.

After the team had finally tracked the herd down, they waited for the sun to rise which would allow them to make the the cleanest and easiest shot possible for the bucks. Just as Amaya had her target clear and the arrow notched, a loud boom exploded off in the distance. She let her arrow fly but the startled buck had jumped and fled away from the explosive sound. The archer was agitated that the herd had fled away. One of the warriors suggested they follow the animals since food was starting to run low back at camp. Amaya was about to agree, but when she squinted her eyes near the direction the loud noise had arouse from, she felt her stomach sink when she noticed a cloud of black smoke, rising up over the mountain where the village was located.

The booms grew louder and louder as Amaya and her team sprinted back to the other end of the island. As they grew closer and closer, the explosions became louder and louder, and the more panicked Amaya and her warriors became. When she heard the screams of children and felt the sting of hot ash hit her skin, she ditched the other three archers and sprinted as fast as her feet could carry her back to camp.

She was about to round the corner to see the view of her camp, but an explosion so fierce and big sent her crashing to the dirt. Her ears rang and her throat stung as she forced her muscles to move herself back to her feet. She stumbled around the corner to a horrific sight.

The huts were up in flames. Seven Fire Nation vessels sat on the shore, soldiers pouring out of them like water pouring from a cup. Torches in hand, several soldiers threw the lit sticks, or even just fire bent the houses that were full of children and screaming mothers. This forced them to exit, and as soon as they were exposed in the open chains were threw around their wrists and the soldiers started shoving them into the ships. The archers were letting their arrows fly into the hearts of the soldiers, sending them violently to the dirty ground were many soldiers already lay unmoving. But where there were dead Fire Nation soldiers, there were twice as many dead archers, their bodies had black skin peeling off and smoke rising from them, like when the mothers cooked the elk meat over a fire. The battle cries continued to rise from the camp as the archers fought against the evil men.

Amaya couldn't move her feet, and the view was so disturbing for the eleven year old that she vomited. She couldn't take her eyes off the scene that was before her. She kept scanning back and forth, she even saw Rei being loaded up in one of the ships. Finally her view came across who she was looking for.

She didn't remember her feet carrying her across the ruins of her tribe, or the tears start to stream down her face, or the screams leave her mouth, but somehow she ended up by her father's side. His eyes were looking right at her, but not seeing her. He lay there still as a rock, with blood still trickling down the open wound on his chest.

She didn't even have a chance to say goodbye.

She held onto her father and sobbed as the battle continued around her. When suddenly a shadow loomed above. Amaya looked directly into the eyes of Captain Zhao. Who had the blood of her father and her people on his hands, and a sick look in his eyes. He appeared confused. Probably wondering what her title amongst the tribe was by her warrior paint. Unsure if he should load her up with the other woman and children, or slay her where she sat. He appeared to have made up his mind and not taking a chance, lit his hands up on fire, and took a step to kill Amaya.

Then came the familiar shout from her cousin, Takeo, who shot an arrow at Zhao. He dodged, but it grazed his arm. This gave Amaya just enough time to regain herself, and she lunged at the murderer, kicking him in the groin and then punching his face as he bent over from the pain. Quick as lightning she had an arrow notched in her bow and pulled back, pressed against the Captain's head, ready to release the arrow and sending him to the dead. Everything became still while Zhao sat on his knees, his life completely in the hands of the little girl who stood above him.

Amaya wasn't sure how much time had passed as the two didn't move in the middle of the camp. She tried to release her arrow… but she couldn't.

"You killed my father." She girl cried. Still not moving, or dropping her ready to fly arrow into his skull.

Zhao looked up. And he must have known Amaya was too weak to take a life. Because he smiled and whispered;

"Yes, and now I'm going to kill you."

In one quick motion his hand grabbed the girl's arrow and bow, and snapped them both in half. Tossing them into the flames. She stared in a silent horror, all of her skills she learned over her years and years of training escaped her. She stumbled back as the captain strode to her, his hand grabbed her neck and he lifted her off the ground. Her feet kicked in the air and she clawed at his massive fingers which just squeezed tighter around her neck. She tried to suck air down her throat but nothing came. She fought for air harder and harder, but Zhao just smiled sickly at her, and even laughed at the desperate child fighting for her life. Amaya saw black tunnels form in the corner of her eyes, and felt spit run down her chin. Zhao pulled the dangling girl to his face and whispered in her ear.

"Your father should have listened."

Amaya's eyes rolled to the back of her head and she went limp, momentarily dangling in the air. Zhao laughed and lifted her higher, before using his strength to forcefully throw her into the ground. Hard. Amaya heard a sickening crack as she felt her head smash into a rock. She lay there, too dazed and too pained to even suck air into her exhausted lungs. Too shocked to even move. Her eyes stared forward, and she only found it safe to breathe when she saw the back of Zhao walking to his ship.

She stayed there, unmoving. Too injured to do anything. The consciousness was seeping out of her while she felt blood pour from her head. The last thing she saw was the last of the Yu Yan warriors being loaded up. They must have surrendered. The last man in the lineup was her cousin, Takeo. His eyes locked with hers, and must have assumed she was dead because he let out a cry of mourning.

Then the ramp was shut. And the first ship pulled away.

Amaya screamed at herself to get up, to go do something. _Anything_. But her eyes blurred, and she passed out, right next to her dead father.

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The young warrior was unsure how long she was out for. But it must have been a considerably long time since the thin layer of ash that covered her was not warm, and when she reached out and touched her father's hand it was stone cold. Once the memories came back, she sat bolt upright, her head screaming in agony. Her eyes focused and she saw her camp in literal ruins. She crawled as fast as she could over to a bucket of water. She didn't even care that ash was mixed into it. She drank the entire thing. She sat back on her heels and gawked at the sight of her tribe.

She tried to scream for help but her swollen throat could only muster a scratchy cry. Her face felt wet and she touched where the pain was the worst- above her eyebrow- and her hand drew away red. She slathered mud onto the wound to stop the bleeding and then stumbled through the broken camp. Looking for a survivor… Any survivor. She tripped over the bodies of her fallen archers, and broke down every door to every hut, her heart sinking more and more with each corpse of warrior, mother, and child in her tribe. As the day came to an end, she realized she was the only one alive on the island.

Amaya spent one week there at camp. She cried gut wrenching sobs, and cursed to the sky. She spent that week swearing to the gods that she would find Zhao and kill him. She spent a lot of time looking at her father, so she could always remember his face. She memorized every smile line and wrinkle. She spent that week considering if she should die herself.

Amaya lost a piece of herself that week. Being alone and frightened. She was only a child, but seeing almost everyone she grew up with dead- corpses who were nothing more than rotting flesh and decaying bones- forced her to leave something no normal human would ever wish on a child. She lost her innocence that week. She lost her happiness, she lost her will to live, she lost her sense of meaning and her drive. She lost everything. And that week was a week spent realizing that.

But mostly she spent that week realizing and crying over the fact that everyone was right. She was a curse. She was a bad omen. She had brought nothing but hell to her people. And it ate her up alive. On the last day of the week, she found her father's bow and arrow. The bow that had been passed down chief to chief. Beautiful carvings covered it, and it was so well kept that she wasn't sure if she could manage the exquisite masterpiece.

With some guilt, she packed the bow and quiver. She hunted for all the arrows she could find, even pulling most out of the dead Fire Nation soldiers. She stowed away ten buckets of fresh water in the biggest canoe she found, and packed the last remaining food particles she dug up from camp. Before she left, she said goodbye to her dead uncle, and cried and apologized to her dead father, then pushed the canoe out to sea.

Amaya spent exactly four weeks at sea. She knew it was exactly four because she kept tally marks on the side of the canoe. The ocean pushed her around, and she prayed she ended up somewhere quickly. Or dead. On the last day she saw land, and the current sent her onto the shore of somewhere unfamiliar.

Before she stepped off the boat, she paused. She realized this was her first time anywhere that wasn't the island of Yu Yan. She felt tears brim in her eyes. But suddenly a new sense of being came over Amaya. She pushed down her emotions. She left the dead to be dead. She pushed thoughts of her family and tribe so far to the back of her mind, and made those thoughts stay there. From here on out, Amaya changed as a person. She became a girl who's only focus was to stay alive, not to live. Someone who accepted the things that had happened to her, and who blamed herself for them. She became emotionless.

And with that, she stepped off her canoe.

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Amaya would spend the next five years of her life as a robber, a hunter, and a hired assassin, traveling through different places in the Earth Kingdom. She got money where and however she could, and never gave her name. Through her years alone she became skilled in many different ways, and her aspect of the world grew more and more cold as she witnessed the corruption of men.

It was hard for her to get jobs as a hunter or an assassin as a girl, so she learned that if she bound her chest, and wrapped a scarf around her entire face minus her eyes, she would get more jobs under the identity as a man. So she became the Masked Marksman. Who got the job done for the people who needed it. These five years were hard years for her, and she soon began to forget just who she was deep down.

And then she got tangled up in an entire new mess.

With a snotty prince and the Avatar.

This is the story of Amaya. The Yu Yan Archer.


	2. What's one more?

**HEY HEY HEY!**

 **Ok! This one may or may not be a little boring, but hey we all gotta start somewhere right? I promise things start to pick up!**

 **Also I am going to update the next chapter soon since it's my spring break!**

 **To the four people who commented:**

 **Thank you so so much! I loved reading your sweet comments, they made my day! I hope you guys enjoy this one, please don't give up on this story yet if you think it's boring! I promise! I just had to get some lame background stuff out of the way!**

 **K! Much love! As always constructive criticism, comments, ideas, or anything of that sort are always welcome! I'll answer and reply to all in the next chapter! I do not own A:TLA**

 **-Teegan**

Amaya

"Hi! I'm here about the job position!" I smiled and thrust forward my right arm in a large, hearty motion. "Ok, no... that's too squeaky." I said, lowering my voice back down to its regular pitch while I paced in front of the river.

I tried again, this time going for the shy girl type. I looked at the mossy log that was in front of me. It sat upright but was leaning against a boulder. I tried to imagine the log as the manager I was about to go and talk to. I squinted my eyes and fought to picture the knot on the tall piece of wood to be the man's face. After I had a good visual I tried again, pretending to open the door to the tea shop and walked over to the manager/log. On my way over I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear and giggled. It was stupid. I felt stupid. This entire situation was stupid. I kept going, though, this time giving a small bow instead of a hearty handshake. I tried to make all of my movements very timid and petite. I looked down and smiled- again tucking that obnoxious stray hair behind my ear.

"Hi," I practically whispered, making myself talk in the most sing-songy voice possible. "I found an ad you had placed on the bulletin board and was hoping you were still hiring?"

The log did nothing and I had to suppress anger that was boiling up inside of me. I hated this. I don't normally get nervous, either. I was raised and taught to keep my cool in every and all situation. I normally do... But the thought of starting a normal life made me anxious; a lot was riding on this interview and I was definitely overthinking this. I started pacing again and running my fingers through my hair- both activities were nervous habits I always did in tense situations. I breathed in through my mouth and out through my nose, searching the depths of my mind for another character I could possibly act out for this interview.

 _You could just be yourself…_

I laughed at that thought.

 _Yes, because a monster is what everyone wants for their business._ I responded to the stupid voice and waved away that thought was a flick of my hand.

I finally decided for the cute and shy girl character since I didn't like to talk much anyways. On that note I stepped over to the river and squatted down, balancing on my toes and resting my hands on my thighs. I glanced down at the ripples in the river that were moving slowly this morning- considering it was the middle of the hot months and rain hardly ever fell in the Earth Kingdoms to begin with. I cupped my hands and let them fill with the icy substance. Lifting the fluid to my mouth, a steady amount escaped through the crevices of my fingers and dripped down my arms and onto my legs. The sting of the water felt refreshing while the morning rays bore down on my shoulders. I filled my hands again, this time splashing the water on my face and then pushing my hair back with the last of the moisture. I lifted my chin up and breathed in that metallic rocky smell. I hated that smell. It was dry and painful. I opened my eyes and leaned over the river once more.

The stillness of the water created a nice reflection. I looked down and saw a girl looking back up. I rarely stole glances of my reflection since I didn't really like to. My nose was ugly. Most girls had beautiful pointy noses, mine was dumb and looked like a raindrop and curved up a little. I didn't like my cheeks either. They weren't full, and my noticeable cheekbones made me look like a starving child. And I hated my smile. I have these awful dimples- I bet people don't take me seriously because of them.

I mostly hated my eyes, though. They were big and round, and maybe my best feature, but whenever I looked into them I saw my father. I splashed the water to distort the image and return me to the present time. I stretched my arms up and made my way over to my little cave.

I had lived here for about five months now. I decided to settle down on the outskirts of Omashu because the city was full of business. I was on my way to Ba Sing Se when I stumbled across this place. I halted my travels when assassination requests started pouring in. I saved up enough from being a hitman that I was very close to being able to afford a home within the actual city… and hopefully not have to murder people in cold blood to make a living anymore.

My mind wandered back to the interview I was about to have, finally, the life I longed for was within reach. I picked out my best outfit to impress. I wish I had a dress. I don't think I've ever worn a dress in my entire life. I just picked a decently clean tunic and smelled a pair of pants to make sure they were ok. I looked at the blood stain that sat right over my left shin and moaned. I picked new pants, these ones smelled a little weird but there wasn't any Fire Nation blood on it… so that's a plus. I tilted my face down, probably giving myself a double chin as I looked myself over. The clothes were a little baggy, but the dusty green and dirt brown made me look like a true Earth Kingdom girl. I slipped on my only shoes and then crawled out of my cave, sliding the large and round rock over the mouth to make sure no one would know I lived here in case any nomads stumbled across my camp. I felt safer knowing my bow and quiver were sealed tightly inside.

I left my camp and began the trek to the city, braiding my hair in inside out braids along the way. I always wore my hair in inside out braids, probably because I didn't like my hair getting in my way- and maybe a little because I thought they looked kind of cute. I started at the top of my head, making sure to pull my obnoxious swoopy bangs into the braid as well. I had painfully thick hair. It had these big curls in it that actually looked pretty graceful when I let my hair hang loose, but I rarely did since I couldn't keep it out of my face. I used to debate if I should just chop it all off, but my dad always said he loved my hair. It looked like my grandmothers when she was alive. I never met her, but I hoped I looked more like my grandmother than my mother. Not that my mother wasn't beautiful; she just hated me my entire childhood. I finished my two braids and let them fall down to the end of my chest. On my way I came across some pretty feathers so I shoved those into the ends of my braids for character and uniqueness, hoping it brought together my ratty look.

I finally made it to Omashu, and the same two guards stood in the same place they always stood in, checking every and all people who passed into the city. I approached the one I always did, who seemed a little nicer than the other.

"Here for business again, Amaya?"

I nodded, fiddling with the feather in my braid.

"Alright, enjoy your time." He said after checking my bag to make sure I wasn't sneaking anything in. Like I was hiding bombs or the Fire Nation attack plans in there or something.

"Thank you." I smiled, hoping his boring job would give him some entertainment throughout the day.

The gates opened and I stepped into the busy mess, ducking under a plank of wood two men were moving. Shouts echoed across the entire city from workers and children at play. The city always gave me a hop in my step and some liveliness in my soul. I found myself smiling at the blurry and exciting site of the craziness that engulfed this place on a day to day basis. I grabbed an apple from a farmer's stand and took a bite before flicking a silver piece to the worker, who caught it was a smile. A mail crate whizzed passed me, and I rolled my eyes at the careless Earthbender who almost hit me with it. I enjoyed the city; I liked watching the different people- the rich and the poor, the old and the young. It was easy to get lost and blend in here, which is exactly what I needed. I passed the community bulletin board and saw an ad for the Marksman that almost looked lost in all the other ads. I knew it was for me when I saw a simple drawing of an arrow, which was a common sign people started using when needing to contact me. Grabbing the paper, I flipped it over and read the tiny print in the upper right-hand corner:

 **花屋の屋根裏部屋で私たちに会いましょう**  
 **深夜、火曜日**

 **(Meet us in the attic of the flower shop**

 **Midnight, Tuesday)**

"Crazy stuff, huh?"

I jumped and the paper flew from my hands, gracefully gliding to the feet of the boy who freaked me out.

"Sorry!" I said, picking it up quickly and pinning it back to the board. "People don't normally sneak up on me like that."

"Nothing to be sorry for!" I looked him up and down. He was obviously an Earthbender, with strong arms and a bigger build. He didn't look like a threat with his warm eyes and kind face. I still didn't let me guard down.

"I'm Shin, I haven't seen you around! Are you just passing through…"

I realized after a few heartbeats of awkward silence that he was waiting for my name. "Amaya!" I said quickly and awkwardly. He just laughed.

"Nice to meet you, Amaya. So crazy stuff about that archer, huh?" I looked again at the haunting sketch of me disguised. I looked like some urban legend.

"Yeah. Haven't heard about that before." I said, not really in the mood for conversation anymore.

"So… Amaya, care to join me for a cup of tea?" He said and grinned at me. I narrowed my eyes, refusing to believe this boy had good intentions even though he looked sweet.

"Sorry, I'm busy," I said and started walking away.

He didn't seem too upset, he waved as I made my escape.

"See you around! Watch out for the Marksman!" He said and laughed. I rolled my eyes at the irony of the situation.

I finally made my way to the little tea shop that sat right in the middle of the city. It was hard to notice and very rundown, but it seemed like it was in desperate need of help. Which was good for me when you take into consideration I desperately wanted to assist and get paid to do so. I pulled the folded flyer out of my pocket to make sure I was in the right place. After I confirmed I took a deep breath and stepped in, the door jingled and I looked up to see a rusty bell hanging from a string. I scanned the restaurant, there was only one person in here. He sat in the corner out of all five tables to chose from, and sipped his tea that steamed. I stepped over to the counter, the floors creaking as I delicately placed my feet down. Once there I tapped my fingers on the wooden top and waited for someone to come and assist me. After a few moments of awkward silence- only to be broken by the occasional sip the older man gave- I coughed. There was a loud surprised clatter and yell from the back, and I cringed when the man stepped out, looking dazed and surprised.

"Hello! How may I help you today." He stated instead of questioned. I swallowed my nerves. He looked at me like I was more of a nuisance than a customer.

"Hi! I'm. Um. I'm here about this ad I saw? For a job position..."

"Oh! Perfect! Well let's sit down and chat, shall we?" His attitude seemed to change from annoyed to relieved in a split second as we made our way over to a table. He was sure to not sit us down near the older man so we didn't disturb his poetry reading and tea sipping. I sat with my legs crossed, and my future manager (if all went well) positioned himself across from me. I studied his face while he smoothed out his apron. He had a funny mustache and very small eyes. His face was bony and he looked like he had seen better days. Life must have been treating him hard as of late. I blinked out of my analytical faze as he smiled at me.

"So. Go ahead and start by telling me a bit about yourself, yes?"

I swallowed down my nerves. I never was a good liar, which is why I liked staying silent.

"Ok… well. My name is Amaya. I've lived here for a while now," I started, and picked at my nails which I tried to keep still in my lap. "Um, I've been looking for a steady job for a very long time since I've been on my own for a few years." I flinched as soon as I said that since I made myself seem desperate.

"What happened to your parents?" He said while his tiny eyes widened. His voice was marinated in pity. I held back a sigh.

"They. Err… They were killed by the Fire Nation." I didn't want to lie since I was so bad at it.

He looked so sad for me.

"Oh, I am so so sorry."

My hands leapt from my lap, shaking them back and forth in front of his face as I desperately tried to fix the situation.

"No! It's fine! They've been dead for a while so I'm over it. Well I mean I'm not over it. Obviously, I'm not over it. I miss them dearly but it's been a while so it's ok. I mean it's not ok that the Fire Nation killed them, but it's ok because I'm fine now." I couldn't stop talking. I just kept going on and on. I couldn't even hear what I was saying at this point, but I saw the man's face go from joyful to full of pity, to confusion, to annoyance.

I finally forced myself to stop talking and the manager sat still for a minute in painfully awkward silence. He looked down at some papers and shuffled through them, obviously not reading anything. He coughed as he fought to find words after such a painful encounter with me.

"Oh! I forgot, we just hired someone!" He pushed the words out from between his teeth in a cringeworthy tone. I sighed. I knew I would blow it, but I didn't think I'd blow it so fast. I stood up, this time not even trying to be polite as I started walking to the door.

"It's fine, I have another interview tonight." I snapped and slammed the door shut angrily, the bell jingled behind me and I didn't look back.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I made my way back to the city for the second time today. This time dressed in complete black, my hair pulled up tightly, and a hood is thrown over my eyes in my classic disguise I always wore. I liked traveling much more at night rather than during the day to Omashu, it was more exciting. As I got closer to the city I pulled my scarf up over my nose and mouth. I fidgeted with my chest bindings one last time since I clearly couldn't mess with them in front of people. I started binding my chest two years ago when I started working as a bounty- everyone knew there was no such thing as a female Yu Yan archer, so no one would hire me in fear that I was lying or faking my skills for money. To be taken more seriously, I bound my chest and tried an interview disguised like that. It worked wonders. I've been getting job requests ever since. It was nice to have it that way. It was a good line of leaving work at work, especially since I didn't like doing my job anyways. It was relieving in ways to have the Marksman and Amaya be different people… maybe it took some of the guilt away.

I made it to the wall of the city. They doubled security at night which wasn't helpful when it came to sneaking in. I found a good blind spot from guards a few months ago and have climbed the wall in that exact spot to get in at night ever since. After only taking a few seconds to hoist myself up, I took a moment to admire the view from the top of the wall, looking out over the vast desert splattered with rocky mountains and spotting the treeline from the distance- which is where my camp was.

I lept down, hardly making a sound as my feet made contact with the city grounds. My soul missed the loud and obnoxious city folk, without them I felt more vulnerable and noticeable. I snuck through the shadows. They hide me well, and I made sure to not cause a commotion or wake anyone. This city was very silent during the late hours of the night, the polar opposite compared to daytime. It almost made me sad. I grew up in a culture where the nightlife was exciting and the highlight of the day; I missed it dearly.

I rounded the corner to the flower shop and to my surprise saw a couple kissing in the middle of the street. The girl had her arms draped around his neck, and in her left hand clutched a bouquet of desert lilies. They were a very beautiful couple. The girl was very tall, with a short and lovely haircut that was an indicator of upper class. It laid flat and was so shiny. Her dress was magnificent, and her face was very pointy from her chin to her nose. She looked the exact opposite of me. Very beautiful. I felt a pang in my chest that I could never have anything like that, not just because they were obviously rich. I wished a boy would think I was worthy of giving flowers too.

I shook my head to clear it and to focus on my real mission. Being careful to not scare the couple with locked lips, I climbed up the side of the flower shop, using the vines and bricks to place my hands and feet. I slide in through a tiny window and landed with surprising grace after such an awkward entrance. I looked up to see my employers who were obviously waiting patiently for me. I was surprised to see Shin- the man I had met earlier today at the community bulletin board. I prayed he wouldn't somehow recognize me.

"Welcome." The other man said. He was clearly much older and probably more experienced. I could already tell Shin was just here for extra muscle. The older man continued. "We've heard much about you."

I didn't say anything. That was probably the one thing I liked about this job. I never had to say a word. It was nice I didn't have to worry about that factor since I was not very good with verbal communication anyways. There was a small bag of gold on the table in front of the two men. The older fellow must have caught were my eyes were looking, he spoke again.

"We have a mission for you to complete. This one is a high priority; directly from the king himself." That explained the surprising amount of gold. I folded my arms, signaling for him to continue. He took a moment and then spoke once more.

"A Fire Nation army has arrived a few miles North of here. They came on ships. We need you to go capture one of the guards who are there and bring him back to us… we need him alive. Do you think you can handle this?"

I practically scoffed at his words. He must not have heard of my experience to ask such a stupid question. I looked down and back up, nodding my head slowly.

"The mission should only take you until sunrise. Here is your payment." He said, tossing me the bag of gold. I let it land at my feet and I didn't move. I wanted to see if he would up the payment, just because the order was coming directly from the king. I've never worked for royalty before, so this situation was making my heart race with excitement. There was an awkward silence and then he threw me another bag. I smiled and picked them both up- bouncing them in my hand and hearing the coins jingle, pleased with the weight. I tucked both sacks into my inside pocket.

"We'll meet you just outside the city walls on the southern side in the morning," Shin spoke up now, his eyes were no longer friendly like they were earlier. "If you aren't back at dawn we'll send another."

I almost laughed at how inexperienced they must think me to be, but nonetheless, I nodded and slid out the window and back to the ground, turning and making my way north; and noticing that the couple no longer stood together in the silence of the night.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

After I made it to the tree line I let myself relax. I took a minute to be thankful to the giant pines for offering me coverage and a hiding place before I started into a steady jog. I was gracious this wasn't an assassination mission. I was thirteen when I first assassinated someone, and it was a memory I hated to dwell on.

At the time I was living in the streets of a small village near the coast. I was practically starved, nothing but a young walking skeleton. I fed off the leftovers the townspeople would feed to their livestock, and I slept in the roads. I had spent two years of my life begging and crying for food or shelter and hardly a single soul offered me kindness. It had made my heart grow cold to the shallowness of human kind, and it made me lose hope in good people. I only ran into one kind woman who let me sleep in her spare room for one night and gave me the first hot meal I had eaten in forever. That short experience gave me the strength to start looking for a job, and I found one quickly after.

I approached the soldiers who had been asking around town for extra hands, and they laughed and mocked me when I said I could help. It infuriated me so much. I knew I couldn't tell them I was a trained Yu Yan archer; they would never believe me. So instead I took a spare uniform that I brought with me from my island. A young boy used to wear it that I trained with. I vaguely remember him dying in the great battle that killed my people. I took his clothes off of him since they were the least torn and bloody. I had almost outgrown it, but it still worked. I put on the appropriate warrior's makeup, pulled and tucked my hair back, and then approached them again. Since I was still so young and hadn't hit puberty just yet, I could pull off the young boy approach.

The soldiers bought my disguise and gave me a chance to go with them on a Fire Nation raid. I killed seven men that day. Killing the first man made me so upset I sobbed to myself the rest of the battle. It was from a distance but my shots were clean and fast. I hit my targets just as I did back in training. I started refusing myself to think about the cost of taking a life or the disappointment my father would have felt at me. Instead, I thought about getting my next meal and buying a new pair of shoes. After the battle the soldiers were so impressed they hired me twice more. We rid the entire town of Fire Nation soldiers. I got paid my rightful money, and then I went my separate way.

The next time I got hired I wore all black. I didn't want to dress as a Yu Yan archer since the people of Yu Yan didn't believe in killing. I didn't want to dishonor my fallen tribe. So I refused to be called a Yu Yan Archer. I stopped talking when I grew taller and the sound of a man having such a high pitched voice threw people off. I started off by wrapping my nose and mouth with a scarf since my dimples and cheekbones began to give away my feminine side. Soon after, my dowey and large eyes also started to receive suspicious looks, so I flipped my hood over my eyes and always looked down when meeting with my employers.

I was fourteen when I finally grew some curves and started to bind my chest. I hated it so much since it made it harder for me to breathe and move. But you do what you have to do, right? I made sure to wear extra baggy clothing so no one would notice the way my waist went in and then back out at my hips. I never did grow much in height, but I still made my act believable since the Yu Yan people were known to be fairly short in size. About this time I also started doing private missions for the richer people. Fathers or husbands would frequently hire me to take out people who were threatening their business or their families. I never did feel right about doing this, but they paid well and it was far easier than charging into battles. I've been beaten, captured, tortured, and ridiculed. I have been in some insane situations. Situations where I have stared death directly in the face. But I always find a way to make it out. I always have and I always will.

From the time I was thirteen to now, I have killed 49 humans. I remember every single one. They haunt my dreams at night and I often find myself thinking about their families. If they're missing their child or father or even mother in some cases. I've cried over every single life I've taken. I hate doing it, and I try to make it as easy as possible but when you boil down to it… I just am not a killer. It's never brought me pleasure, it's made me hate myself in a way I never thought I could hate. I did what I had to so I wouldn't starve, but that still wasn't an excuse for me to take something so valuable and precious. I wished more than anything that I could do something else instead, but somehow my life always circled back to getting paid for my unique skillset. But after today I could finally start over since I now have enough to buy shelter in the city and again search for a real job.

The thought of never taking a life again gave me the energy to run a little faster, and just as I was about to stop and catch my breath- I heard voices. I made sure my bow and quiver were tightly secured behind me before I mounted a tree, grabbing branches and pushing myself higher and higher until I was near the top. The large pine swayed a little with my weight. I peered into the distance and saw the shore a couple hundred yards away. Men were unloading boxes and pitching their tents. I hated the Fire Nation apparel. With their ugly steel masks and red robes.

I squinted, wondering what they were here for. I heard a twig branch crack underneath the tree I was perched in and I quickly looked down to see a soldier. He must have been inexperienced since he was making such a ruckus. I assumed he was useless back at the camp and so they had him go on border control. I reached behind my head and grabbed an arrow, then knocked it into the place of my bow. I pressed it against my face and took only a second to take aim and let me arrow fly. As soon as I released I lept after the arrow, flying down through the branches like I was chasing it. The arrow hit its target, snagging the robe of the soldier and pinning him to another pine. After the initial shock was over he opened his mouth to scream for help, but I was already there with my fist in his mouth to keep him from shouting. The shocked soldier began mumbling something, and his slimy tongue slid around my knuckles. I rolled my eyes at his natural reaction and forced myself to keep my fist in place. I quickly gagged him with rope and then freed my germed up hand. I continued swiftly and used the remaining ropes to tie his wrists together.

He lay there with wide eyes. He was shaking and almost in tears. I felt kinda bad since he looked to be about my age- maybe even younger. I forced myself to not think too deeply at this and gestured for him to stand up. I knew we were on borrowed time since someone was bound to come looking for him in a few moments. He still sat there looking terrified. I made the movement again, this time making it bigger and more demanding. He continued to sit still, this time trying to scream for help. I was glad I made his gag so tight since all he could muster up was a choked sob. With my patience thinning I reached behind me and placed an arrow in my bow, pulling the tight string back and aiming it directly at his face. He got the message and stood up quickly. I tossed my head in the direction I wanted him to go and he started walking. I held onto the ropes that tied his hands together like a leash as we trekked through the forest. He only tried once to escape but I caught him quickly. I was glad I stumbled into such an ammiture. It made this job a lot easier.

We walked through the darkness taking longer than I had hoped, considering I had jogged coming and now we were just walking. I got lost in thought, daydreaming about buying my own home and getting a regular job. I thought about which plant I would buy to put in my room and what view of the city my window would have. It helped make the trip back go much faster, and I only had to threaten the boy to speed up a few times. Finally, I saw the pointy tips of the big city peek up over the treeline and the first light of the sun.

I met the two Earth Kingdom men were they had said.

They seemed greatly impressed that I was not just on time but early. I shoved the back of the boy and he stumbled and fell at their feet. He whimpered weakly and was obviously tired. After the two exchanged a few mumbled words they turned their attention to me and the captured soldier. The older one talked again.

"We might still need you. Follow us."

With the hopes of more gold in my site, I followed the boys as they roughly pushed the young guy along through the dirt. I tried to hide my surprise when I saw the little shelter made of stone come into view. The door was small and you had to duck to enter. They yanked the boy into the hut after them, then Shin popped his head out and looked at me.

"Wait here." He demanded. I paused for a moment as they rustled around in the secret hideout. I pushed my back against the cold stone and slid down, rustling up some dirt as my butt thumped into the earth under me. I already knew what was going on and I felt sick to my stomach.

Torture was probably one of the worst things you could do to a human. I had helped in these situations twice, both times the victim ended up being killed after they shared their information anyways. In my mind, this was worse than killing someone. When I made a kill I made sure it was fast and easy. Knowing that my victims didn't see it coming helped me to sleep at night. But torture… it was just plain wrong. I doubt I would have agreed to this if I knew what they had planned for him. I covered my ears as the two Earth Kingdom men screamed at the young boy, demanding answers. I knew Shin's role in this as soon as I heard the disgusting thud of a rock making contact with a body. I heard screams and cries and begs come from that small shelter. Tears brimmed my eyes and I walked away with guilt. I sat far away enough that I still had the building in sight but the noises died out.

Every second that passed caused me to feel more and more terrible. The sun rose a little higher into the sky, and I walked back over due to curiosity. My black cape blew up a little from a small and rare gust of wind. I shivered and promised myself I wouldn't look into the house because I knew the bloody mess that was inside would haunt my mind forever and add to the weight I already felt. I heard the pained and agonized voice of the soldier speak up. The soldier I had brought this fate unto. I should have just let him go and taken the money.

"Alright… alright. I'll tell you! His name is Zhao. He's trying to hunt down the Avatar. That's all I know."

That name.

The air caught in my throat and I felt the familiar feeling of someone kicking me in my gut. My eyesight blurred and I fought to stay in the present. That name. I hadn't heard anyone speak that wretched and disgusting name in years. I wasn't sure if tears were running down my face or not, but there was moisture against my face underneath my scarf and hood. Maybe it was sweat. I looked down at my hands and saw my nails digging into my palms and blood starting to swell up between my fingers. Zhao. That name.

I began to fall backward and the only thing I could see were those eyes of death, and all I could feel was the giant hand squeeze the air out of me. I heard my heartbeat and I fought for consciousness like I did a few years ago after my head got smashed into a rock. My hands shakily reached up and grabbed the faded scar above my eyebrow. I tried to start talking myself out of this place I so unwillingly found myself in.

 _Calm down, Amaya. It might not be him. It might be someone else. Calm down. Calm down._

After I regained my senses and was brought back to reality, I looked down at the feet of Shin. I wasn't sure if he knew the state I was in or if he just didn't care. His hands had blood on them, and unlike mine, they weren't his own. He stood silently, knowing fully well what he had just done. And he had to deal with that for the rest of his life. I swallowed a vile taste that rose in my throat.

 _Welcome to the business._ my mind snapped at him. I lost all respect for the young man. I wasn't sure how long we stood there in that heavy silence, but he finally spoke up.

"We have one more mission for you. If you do this for us we will be sure you'll never want for anything again,"

I didn't move.

"Kill Commander Zhao."

All I could see were the faces of my dead family and people, my home in ruins and covered in ash. The destruction that he caused. My life that he ruined. I saw the demons I constantly fought with in my head, and I saw them all finally leave me alone once I finished this and killed the man who shaped me into this disgusting creature that I now was. And I saw myself finally being happy again. All I had to do was avenge my people and kill Zhao. He might be the only person I would murder and feel nothing.

 _What's one more person..._ I thought.

And then I nodded.


	3. A Hooded Figure

**Hey, guys! Thanks for all the really kind reviews! I'm pretty happy with how this chapter turned out!  
It's a long one, and as always let me know what you think! Your thoughts are greatly appreciated!**

 **I don't own A:TLA**

Amaya

I hadn't slept in 33 hours. After rushing back and forth so many times, I was far more exhausted than I cared to admit. I arrived late into the night and after finding a decent bush to hide under, I tried to sleep for about two hours. Every time my head would nod off I was jolted awake by the screams of that guard echoing in my mind. I hated yesterday so much, and guilt for my role in the situation wouldn't leave me. He was a hard nut to crack, and after hours of intense pain he finally gave in. I wish I had cut in and done something, but I just let it happen as usual. The day after a mission was always the hardest- the visuals were so fresh in my mind and it was hard to push them away. I instead continued to tell myself the thoughts would soon fade along with the other memories that had changed from screams to whispers over the years.

I just lay there, plotting my moves and picturing the battle I was about to cause. I had already told myself that I wasn't going to shoot him down from a distance. I knew that option would clearly be the easiest and the wisest, but I wanted nothing more than for him to look me in the eyes. I wanted him to recognize me, and the moment I would see that flash a familiarity in his face… I would slay him. And I would feel absolutely nothing. He wouldn't haunt my dreams like the others, and he wouldn't wake me up in the middle of the night drowning in my guilt. As I lay there my fingers couldn't stop twitching with excitement and my stomach fluttered with nerves.

Zhao was my biggest demon, greatest drive, and largest fear. He ruined my entire life, and a massive reason I wanted to be happy was to spite him. I couldn't count the times I spiraled into horrific flashbacks, or woke up screaming after my brain would replay that one specific scene over and over in my sleep. I remembered his face better than any person who has been in my life. Zhao was a man of pure evil who had to be killed. I closed my eyes and tried to picture that feeling of murdering this creature and restoring my broken soul.

I stood and dusted off my cape. My eyes wandered over to the log that I had pinned the soldier to last night. The bark was still messed up and chipped where my arrow had entered it. Refusing to dwell on past events, I looked up and decided to climb my tree again. Before I mounted my fingers pinched off a bundle of needles and I popped them into my mouth, chewing on them and using my tongue to try and tie them into a knot, giving myself something to do and stop the rest of my body from shaking. The sharp, chilly morning breeze slapped my face, so I pulled up my scarf higher above my nose. The trunk of the tree grew thinner as I climbed higher, and once I was near the top I halted and gazed down at the camp. The tents were done being set up and now many red flags flew in the wind. I hated the symbol that was stamped on literally everything. The sun was rising on the horizon of the ocean, and it was painting the sea beautiful colors of red and orange. Everything was just very… still. Not even the morning jays were singing like they usually did in this region. I felt unsettled.

My eyes narrowed and locked in on a soldier who looked eerily similar to the one I had captured a few hours ago. His face was covered, however. This was a sign of him being a higher rank. He stepped down the ramp of the biggest ship and stretched, making a loud moan as his fingers tried to grab the sky. He twisted his back and I could hear the cracks from where I was perched. His gloved hand gripped and yanked a rolled up scroll from his butt pocket and looked it over.

I slid down the tree and ducked over to a bush, this time peeking over the edges and viewing the camp set-up from a different angle. Three new men sat under one of the pavilions, sipping something steaming, and hollering when one of them placed down a card for their game. There was a steep hill between me and the camp. It was dirty and open, making for a clear and noisy terrain, increasing the risk of tripping on the way. I rolled out that idea since I'd have to be very speedy to even make it close without getting spotted and attacked. My fingers twitched and I figured I could take out all the men with my bow and arrow since I was placed on higher land. I was tempted for a moment, but shook the idea away, fighting for keeping casualties low on this mission.

I went out and around instead, only having one brief moment of tension when I almost had a run in with a border patrol soldier. It took me thirty minutes to make the circle around. Once I got close I ducked and rolled behind a boulder, only tensing up for a second when I landed on a twig that snapped. Thankfully the border soldier didn't hear- That or he was too much of a fool to check. I finally came to the other side, this time setting myself a few yards closer to the camp than I was on the eastern side. I had an arrow slung in the notch of my bow, ready to use if anyone snuck up on me. More men were now rustling around in the camp, carrying things around and polishing their weapons. Then I saw him.

Zhao stepped out of his tent. He had the same sideburns, the same build, the same angry frown… and the same eyes. His eyes that looked like fire, flames that sparked a passion of feeding off the weak. I swallowed and tried to calm down my racing heart. I went through every tactic I could in my mind. This was no easy task. Zhao was quite obviously the most important man here, and this meant he was highly guarded.

I thought about storming in and hopefully receiving a surprised response, using the men's shock to my advantage. But I knew I'd be quickly taken down... Firebenders shot to kill. I decided to go for a sneak attack, using the trees as my cover and then sneaking in through the back entrance of the tent. Maybe I could get in and out and only be spotted by him. I hoped I could make it to his side moments before he took his last breath of air. I hoped he would feel nothing but regret.

 _Ok, Amaya. Not yet. Kill him first, then let the emotions in._

I finalized my plan and after plotting my points I ran forward, making my strides long and speedy as I was now at risk of being spotted. Halting and pushing my back against a tree I reached my first point. Now I was only fifty yards away from the first tent, and I had two more points to make it to. I ducked and sprinted again, this time sliding in and stopping at a smaller tree. I sucked in air, not exhausted from the run but the terror of the situation. There was no going back. I squeezed my eyes shut and sent a desperate prayer before leaving the second point. This time crawling instead of running, I made it to my last station- a boulder that covered me well. I clutched my bow to my chest and held my breath when I heard a shout from a few feet away. I only dared to suck in some air after I heard it was just a guard demanding another man to hurry up with his breakfast.

It was time. Working up the courage, I loaded an arrow and then finished my last leg, sprinting only a few feet to his tent. I knew it was his tent since fancy tassels covered it and two men stood guard on the other side with large spears. It angered me how Zhao had to make sure his was the biggest and grandest tent on site. As I stood at the back of the tent- with a massive risk of being spotted by one of the many guards- I reached behind me and picked the sharpest arrow, carefully placing it in my exquisite bow. My thoughts went to my father, and I asked him to be with me and guide my movements, as I always did when going in for a kill. Then I charged in like I did with any mission; not dwelling on the circumstances this could hold for me, and not caring if I would be killed.

I burst through the small flap in the back. There he was. He didn't hear my silent entrance. His back was to me and I had the string of my arrow pulled back tight and my arrow ready to fly. The sharp point of the arrow was aimed directly to enter the back of his skull. I could hear the sickening thud it would make once it entered his brain, and I could see the blood splatter from the entry. I could see it all. And this was my chance. It was perfect, and it was real. It was everything I wanted and it was right in front of me. And still I stood still in the shadow, my fingers wouldn't let that arrow go, even when my mind screamed at them to release. My chest heaved in and out.

Terror practically engulfed me when he slowly turned. His eyes were shocked when they found the mysterious creature hiding in the corner of his tent. He looked me up and down, maybe unsure if I was real or not. He knew I was human and not the demon as soon as I let my arrow fly. Then came the whizzing sound I've heard so many times that brought me nothing but awful memories. It lasted only a split second, and I gawked when Zhao literally caught the arrow not an inch before it made contact with his nose.

"Guards!" He yelled while snapping the arrow in two with his ugly and massive fingers. I lunged, knocking over ink and tea that spilled over maps and lay open on a wide table. With a powerful force, I made contact and the two of us crashed to the ground. I used my knee to pin his left arm to the floor, and his right hand blindly grabbed my face. Fighting dirty, I bit down on his three fingers as hard as I could, not stopping even when I tasted blood. He screamed in pain and kicked my stomach. My knee loosened from his left wrist and my mouth opened to let out a grunt. This gave Zhao the lead he needed, ripping his bloody hand from my mouth and then elbowing me, shoving me off. I rolled into the table and heard it break from the force of his throw. Two guards had rushed in and I quickly released an arrow into the arm of one and then the shoulder of the other. The two crashed to the floor in pain, screams leaving their masked faces.

Before I could load another arrow Zhao was on me, lifting me up by my arm and then pinning me to the wall. I swung my knee into his groin and he hunched over. Hitting him over the head with my bow, he dropped to his knee. Without hesitation, I grabbed his face between my hands and then slammed it into my kneecap. Crying out he fell onto his side, shocked from the strong force I just delivered directly to his face. I screamed in rage and kicked his side, feeling pleasure when it made an ugly noise. I was ready to end this but I felt someone grab my arm before I could finish the job. I whirled around and kicked my leg directly up, smiling when the top of my foot came down hard on the young guard's nose, knocking him out to the floor. Two more men replaced him and I ducked when one swung, his fist made contact with the other and knocked him out. Using my advantage of this distraction I kicked the other in his rear and he fell forward onto Zhao.

I let an arrow fly and it went through the hand of the conscious guard and then into the chest of Zhao. Both cried out in pain, but Zhao recovered speedily and shoved the man off him, snapping the arrow that connected the two for a brief moment. I held back a scream when Zhao finally used his fire and threw a blast at me. I dove behind a chair which caught fire from the intense heat Zhao had created. I kicked the burning wood at him but he simply grabbed it and tossed it to the side. The tent was in flames and smoke began to engulf us. A burning piece of cloth fluttered from the side and landed on my thigh with a hiss. Ignoring this, I again lunged- this time holding an arrow like a knife, completely prepared to drive it with my own force into his jugular. I almost had it but he bent over, this time using his fire to sweep my own feet out from under me. I landed on my back hard. Before I could roll he was there, using both of his hands to hold me where I was. I inhaled the black smoke and felt sick. Red flames tickled my arms and my feet. I squirmed and lurched but the weight of this man was too much. I underestimated his massive size and the strength he held.

"Well, you put quite a fight." He barked at me, his ugly face uncomfortably close to mine. Since my scarf had already fallen off and now exposed to bottom half of my face, I spat directly in his eye. Disgusted he leaned back slightly. I took the opportunity to make my escape, but before I could even stand I felt a foot make contact with the side of my head. I doubled back over, my head spinning from the force of the blow and the polluted air I was forcing into my lungs. In my dazed state, a hand grabbed my upper arm and lifted me to my feet. I was forced to stumble after the large man and out of the lit tent that was now collapsing. Once in the clear air, I sucked in the clean oxygen and blinked out the sting the smoke was making in my eyes. I was shoved to the ground. Before I did anything else I pulled my scarf back up to cover my face.

When I looked up I was circled by guards. I was amazed that my hood still covered my eyes and my cape was still secured around my neck. I felt a fierce sting in my left calf and took a moment to look down and see burned skin. I touched my shoulder and felt a similar stinging burn, as well as on my thigh. My head pounded against my skull from such a kick and I felt dizzy. It was for sure a concussion. I continued to cough and my ribs on the right side ached. I looked up feeling defeated, but that feeling was soon replaced with smugness when I saw the shape Zhao was in. At some point, I must have ripped some of his hair off since there was now a bald spot that blood swelled in on his scalp. His eyes had a burning rage but there was also a massive gash that ran down his cheekbone. His hand I bit was covered in a massive amount of blood, and one of his fingers looked like it was hanging on by a thread. Where the tip of my arrow barely entered his chest, a thin line of blood stained his fancy robe. His foot looked twisted awkwardly and I grinned when I assumed it was broken or sprained. His chest heaved and that nasty face stared at me, everyone waiting for who would make the first move.

I was tempted to make a run for it but I knew it would be a matter of seconds until I would be shot down by fire. I wasn't stupid I knew I was outnumbered when I saw it. I had to be proud of myself, though. I really did let him have it, and I got much farther than I thought I would. The fact that I was still breathing had me pretty impressed with myself. Two men came up on either side of Zhao, grabbing his arms and trying to have him sit down so they could assess his injuries. He jerked himself free of their grips, his eyes burning with a passionate anger. I knew I had humiliated him in front of the people he was in charge of. I swallowed a bubble of laughter in my throat as he yelled at everyone.

"What are you all looking at?! You think I can't handle myself?" Everyone took a step back; smoke was rising from the top of his head as the man fought to contain his rage. I sat there, trying to appear weaker than I was in hopes that would make Zhao show me some mercy and perhaps spare my life. I ruled out that possibility as he took a massive step over to me and lifted me up by my upper arm. I kind of dangled there, fully capable of standing but praying that going limp would somehow increase my possibility of survival. He pulled my hood off, and our eyes locked.

I wasn't sure if he recognized me, and after a few heartbeats, I was sure he didn't. His mouth that dripped with some blood opened. "Who are you?" He demanded. I said nothing, my mind raced while I thought of what to do. "Who sent you?!"

Instead of answering or fighting back, I went completely limp, letting my body just dangle there, only being held up by Zhao. I fluttered my eyes closed, hoping to sell that I collapsed from smoke inhalation and exhaustion. I heard the man make a disgusted growl and then he threw me back to the ground, I hit hard since I refused to let my muscles take some of the blow. Having landed awkwardly, my face was in the dirt and my lungs begged for an easier air source.

"I'll deal with him later. Take him to the ship dungeon and throw his weapons in my quarters. Obviously, we've been discovered, so be prepared to leave port by sundown."

I grinned under my face scarf, pleased that I still had the surprise factor of my identity and that my life was being spared for now. I was hoisted up, but I still let my head dangle. Two men dragged me up a ramp as my feet dragged behind. As I looked down at the spotless floor of the ship, my ears caught the gentle tapping of feet. After getting dragged down countless stairs, I finally stood before a door. They inserted a key, making it swing open with a loud, ugly screech. After taking a few steps into the wet and cold room they released my arms and I again collapsed, this time making contact with hard and damp steel. I was on my side this time, being roughly propped up in the corner. Letting my head loll to the side, I didn't dare open my eyes. Two hands grabbed my left wrist, and another set grabbed my right. I heard the familiar and unsettling sound of chains, and they clamped a cuff on either hand. They made them so tight, and I let out a deep groan to sell my unconsciousness.

One of them pulled on the chain, and my hand was hoisted up, causing serious discomfort in my already burned shoulder. My left hand was left alone, and the chain wasn't hoisted up like the other, instead left to lay limply on my side. I coughed and taking my chance my eyes shot open. Two men looked back at me surprised. Taking my chance I fell forward as much as the chains would allow. I was happy when I made contact with one of the guards, who was too shocked to do anything. My hand weakly grabbed his wrist and I coughed again. I lowered my voice, still trying to make sure they believed I was male.

"Please. It hurts." I moaned. Both look terrified for another moment, and the guard I was on top of roughly shoved me off. I fell back and pretended to go limp once more, this time sliding down the wall I was propped against and slipping to my side, where I finally lay still, my right arm still lifted up, my head resting on top of my left. After an awkward moment of silence, one of the men spoke.

Is… Is he dead?" The one I had landed on asked shakily.

"I hope so, and if he is I doubt commander Zhao would mind very much anyways. He wasn't left in too good of shape to begin with so I'm not surprised."

"Gross. He looks pretty bad. Come on, let's get out of here. I heard General Iroh and Prince Zuko were coming before we leave the port."

Both men stood up and exited, leaving me hopefully alone in the room. I didn't want to risk it, so I didn't dare even twitch for a solid five minutes… just to be sure. Only after I was positive did I open my eyes, looking around the room I was locked in. It must have been the hull of the ship, where they stored all the coal. I glanced up at my arm that was hauled up. The wall had many other cuffs and chains, so I assumed this was normally used to hold prisoners. It was dark and steam would frequently blow from a pipe in the other corner. I heard the horn come from another ship that was just now pulling up to dock, and all might have seemed hopeless for me… If I hadn't grabbed the key from the guard I fell on top of. I smirked and looked at the golden object, now my ticket to freedom. I laughed, having outsmarted the Fire Nation once more, and then began plotting my grand escape.

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Zuko

Uncle and I pulled into port, witnessing a rather unsettling sight. Men bustled around, pulling down tents, carrying heavy boxes, and ordering each other around. Curious as to what had happened to create such a panic, I frowned as the ship came to a screeching halt. Our battered and tiny vessel looked ridiculous next to the other warships, and I found myself being thankful for whatever was the cause of this distraction around camp since now no one was paying attention to our boat.

Our ramp slammed onto the concrete ground and the two of us made our way down in silence and confusion, trying to make sense of the havoc. I turned my attention to Uncle, and to play it safe hissed in his ear;

"Uncle, I want the repairs made as quickly as possible. Obviously, this division is dealing with enough already, and I don't want to lose his trail."

"You mean the Avatar," Uncle responded. His idiotic comment sent anger bubbling up inside my chest and I restrained myself for lashing out too harshly.

"Don't mention his names on these docks!" I snapped back under my breath. "Once word gets out that he's alive, every Firebender will be out looking for him, and I don't want anyone getting in the way."

I picked up a familiar voice as Zhao approached the two of us. "Getting in the way of what?" I turned to see the face of the captain but took a step back in surprise. The man was beaten to a pulp; gauges covered his head and parts of his face, he was walking with a slight limp, and his left arm hung in a sling. I lifted my jaw back up to hide my shock, and tried to speak with a hint of kindness since it was clear he wasn't having the best of days.

"Captain Zhao," I greeted him but didn't bow since I don't respect the old angry creten.

He stopped in front of us, hiding a grunt as he shifted his right foot.

"It's Commander now," he retorted, not even acknowledging his injuries in the slightest. He continued to speak in his same boastful tone. "General Iroh, the great hero of our nation." He acknowledged Uncle with a bow, and I suppressed myself from rolling my eyes at the man's attempt to be respectful.

It must have worked, however, because my uncle had a happy grin on his face, and corrected with a humbled tone. "It's retired General now."

"The Firelord's brother and son are welcomed guests anytime at my docking stations. To what do I owe the pleasure?" His tone was very contradicting of his statement, and I narrowed my eyes in suspicion at how he wouldn't even address the panicked state of his troops or the battered shape of his body. I had to physically bite my tongue to not revert the conversation to him.

Uncle thankfully responded for me. "We are here to get repairs done for our ship," He said and gestured with his arm to our ridiculous looking boat.

Zhao gazed over our source of transportation and lifted his hand to his chin, stroking it with curiosity. "That's a fair amount of damage."

My annoyance got the best of me and I snapped back, hopefully ending the man's sideways attempts at trying to uncover our secrets. "That's a fair amount of damage to yourself, what happened? Lost to an Earthbender?" I tried to make my words hurtful, and I prayed I was right so his pride could be wounded. Instead, the commander just leaned down to meet my height, looking a little tense.

"It was an archer, actually. That's why we're leaving port so soon. He's assumed to be a spy for Omashu. And if you think I lost you'd be quite mistaken, Prince Zuko. I'd love for you to see the shape the other guy is in."

I didn't back away as the two of us stared down one another. My lips curled up in a slight snarl and anger continued to rise in my chest. I didn't like people who drilled me with questions that weren't any of their business. Zhao spoke again, this time smiling a little since he knew he had the upper hand.

"I'd love for us to fill one another in on the thrilling details of our day. Join me for a drink?" He smirked.

I turned my head, motioning for my uncle to follow. "Sorry, but we have to go," I spoke my words softly, trying hard to not give anything away.

I flinched as Uncle spoke once more. "Zuko! Show commander Zhao your respect. He is having a hard day already." Uncle released my shoulder that he had gripped tightly, and then turned to face Zhao. "We would be honored to join you. Do you have any ginseng tea? It is my favorite." The two turned to head to a nearby pavilion. I tensed up with frustration and growled, fire escaping the tips of my fingers as I fought to stay calm. Whirling around on my heel I followed the two men, my mind fighting to make a story that was believable enough to tell the Commander on what happened to our ship.

He led us to a small tent that soldiers were unloading crates from. We entered and Zhao sat with a grunt, rubbing his temples for a moment. After a brief awkward silence, he spoke up. "You must forgive me. This wasn't my original war room. I had to relocate after my first was burnt down."

I narrowed my eyes, fighting to find words that would pry more information from the man. Instead, he changed the subject, discussing his attack plans with my uncle and the ideas he had to bring down the city of Omashu. My mind wandered off and I looked at his bandaged arm. It was twisted strangely, and his fingers were wrapped with extreme tightness, but blood still stained the pieces of cloth under his three fingers. I frowned and tried to avert my attention back to the words he was saying.

Uncle had finished sipping his tea and stood, fiddling around with a stack of weapons that sat in the corner.

"... and by summer's end, the Earth kingdom capital will be under our rule." He said with a disturbing smugness. "The Firelord will finally claim victory in this war." I clutched my teacup tighter in my hand, tense that he was so disgustingly passionate about fighting battles and winning wars.

"If my father thinks the rest of the world will follow him willingly, then he is a fool!" I stated. Surely I couldn't be the only one who could see how ridiculous everyone must be? Thinking that people would just surrender so willingly.

"I can see almost three years at sea have done little to temper your tongue," Zhao said with a hint of bitterness. He changed the subject. "So, how is your search for the Avatar going?" As soon as he questioned me the stack of weapons Uncle was messing around with tipped over, sending a loud clatter echoing through the tent, and earning him an annoyed look from Zhao. "My fault, entirely." Uncle said bashfully, blushing and backing away from the mess.

This gave me enough time to think of a decent response. "We haven't found him yet." I clapped back, making sure my voice and stature was confident and sure.

"Did you really expect to? The Avatar died nearly one hundred years ago, along with the rest of the Airbenders." He told me in an almost mocking tone. As if he thought I didn't already know this. Something must have passed over Zhao. Perhaps an epiphany of sorts- since his eyes lit up and he leaned in as if he were going in for the kill. "Unless… you've found some evidence that the Avatar is alive?" He smiled sickeningly, targeting in on me.

"No," I said, probably way too quickly. "Nothing." I tried to appear disappointed and discouraged, but I could tell he was onto me.

"Prince Zuko, the Avatar is the only one who can stop the Fire Nation from winning this war. If you have an ounce of loyalty left, you'll tell me what you know."

Anger curled in my chest when he questioned my loyalty, but he pressed on, fighting for me to spill my information. I wouldn't budge. "I haven't found anything." I replied, "It's like you said, he probably died long ago." I forced my voice to be somber. "Come on Uncle, we're going." I made my way to the entrance, only managing a few steps before swords were crossed in front of me, making it so my path was cut off. Before I could angrily order them away, another walked over to his boss, opening his stupid mouth.

"Commander Zhao, we interrogated the crew like you instructed. They confirmed that Prince Zuko had the Avatar in this custody, but then let him escape."

I looked down in defeat, frustrated with my crew for caving in, and angry that Zhao decided to just force information out of my men without so much as asking. I didn't even have to look at Zhao to know he was smiling, and I cringed a little when he limped over to me, leaning next to my ear.

"Now remind me, how exactly was your ship damaged?" He hissed out his words like the disgusting snake he was, and I squinted my eyes shut to try and escape the situation.

I was forced into a chair, this time two guards stood behind me, making sure I wouldn't try anything funny. I tried to give as little detail as I could muster, but Zhao succeeded in getting me to tell him as much as I knew. I spat at every detail I gave, making sure everyone knew how angry I was that they were onto me.

"So a twelve-year-old boy bested you and your Firebenders." The Commander practically laughed as he said the words. Steam came off the top of my head as I fought to keep my cool. "You're more pathetic than I thought."

"Look at yourself, Zhao! You always brag about how you never lose, but you look like you got trampled by Fire Nation army rhinos! I would watch your mouth if I were you." I retorted, ignoring my Uncle as he face palmed at my sassy comment. "Besides, I underestimated him once, but it won't happen again."

Zhao, who was now sitting down, leaned forward. "No, it will not, because you won't be getting a second chance." He declared as if he were the boss of me. He wasn't overseeing me, but his crew far outnumbered my own. I tried to use reason with the man, this time using logic to try and talk myself out of the situation.

"Commander Zhao, I've been hunting the Avatar for years, and I-" He cut me off, using his good arm to draw out flames in his anger, swiping them through the air and creating the risk of burning down this tent too.

"And you failed!" He snapped, turning back to me. "Capturing the Avatar is a task far too important to leave in a teenager's hands." He paused, looking down at me where I sat. His face shadowed from the flames off to the side. "He's mine now." He ordered.

I growled and lunged forward in rage, only to be grabbed by the two guards and forced back. I heaved and struggled against them, but in vain. Zhao just smiled and turned away. "Keep them here." He demanded, and in all my frustration I kicked over the tea table, sending cups and tea spilling all over his ridiculous proper floor. The Commander just kept walking, and the only one who dared speak was my Uncle, politely asked for more tea.

For a good couple of hours Uncle and I sat in silence, sitting in tense air while many guards watched us. This only added to my passionate hatred of this situation. I spent this time plotting my escape, trying to weigh out my options. Creating my next tactic that would let me leave here and still be granted permission to hunt down the Avatar. After hearing the sound of a ship blow its horn Zhao entered once more, still looking tired and battered after a battle he had taken part in earlier this morning. His lips still curled up into his ugly smile.

"We're leaving this station without a trace. I created a search party specifically to get the Avatar. After a few hours you and the rest of your crew will be granted permission to leave."

"Why?" I demanded. "Are you worried we'll try to stop you?"

He threw his head back and released an ugly laugh, that was truly fit for a villain. I didn't like how he mocked me. "You? Stop me? Impossible." He tossed away that possibility like a piece of trash.

I leapt to my feet to retort to his jeering. "Don't underestimate me, Zhao! I will capture the Avatar before you. It's obvious you're not the man you once were. You're weaker and smaller." Iroh stood up after me, gently touching my shoulder to try and calm me.

"Prince Zuko, that is enough." He ordered.

"You may be right that I am beaten now," Zhao started, not shifting his stance. "But look at me! I have hundreds of war ships at my command, gifted soldiers and fighters. And you? You're just a banished prince! You have no home, no friends, no allies. Your own father doesn't even want you!"

He must have known where to hit me hard, because a lump grew in my throat and my voice got tight from his nasty comment. "You're wrong! Once I deliver the Avatar home to my father, he will welcome me home with honor! And I will restore my rightful place on the throne."

Zhao narrowed his eyes. "If your father really wanted you home, he'd have let you return by now. Avatar or no Avatar. But in his eyes you are a failure and a disgrace to the Fire Nation!" He smiled, striking the same blow again and now just making me more and more angry. I snarled and leaned in closer, the guards holding me back.

"That's not true!" I screamed, standing firm.

Zhao retorted immediately. "You have the scar to prove it."

"Maybe you'd like one to match!"

"Is that a challenge, Prince Zuko?" He said. I looked over the sore sight, suddenly embarrassed that I would challenge someone in such a state.

Zhao continued. "Have you really sunk so low that you want to fight me? An injured man? I mean, look at me. You foolish boy."

I bore my teeth at him, ready to end his life. "Fine! Then I'll fight anyone of your choice! I challenge you and your crew to an Agni Kai! Right now!"

He again laughed. "You immature child. Seeking a fight just to make a point. I would normally refuse, since my crew is too valuable. But very well. I accept your challenge, because I have someone who is worthless to me, and I know could kill you easily."

"Fine! Sunset! I'll be ready. Make sure your soldier is experienced enough to fight me." I snarled and whirled around.

"Oh he is. And believe me, he's ruthless. Let's not forget the last time you fought a master." He hissed, and then limped out of the tent with a wave for his men to follow.

My hand reached up and touched my scar. The skin was rough and I couldn't feel the touch of my hand on it. I whispered after the man.

"Believe me. I'll never forget."

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It was time for the duel. My first Agni Kai in almost three years. I knew I was good enough to beat anyone Zhao would place in front of me. I knew I was. Any Firebender couldn't match the intense training I had put myself through these past years. This fight would be over quickly. I knelt down, my ceremonial cuffs around my biceps, and the small vest sat on top of my shoulders, a tradition that represents strength in a fair fight. As I meditated one last time, Uncle offered me a last few words of wisdom.

"Remember your basics, Zuko. They are your greatest strength."

After I exhaled once more I stood, the vest dropping to the ground- a signal that I was ready. I looked at Uncle once more. "I will win."

I turned around, lifting my arms appropriately as I sized up the appointment. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but a few yards away on the other side of the arena there was a hooded figure. Two guards on either side, and chains bound the person's wrist. Whoever it was, they weren't dressed in the appropriate Agni Kai attire, and they didn't even appear to be a Firebender. I laughed though, mocking Zhao's choice. It was a little person, and looked already tired and weary.

"What's this, Commander? Just want a show of me killing your prisoner?" Zhao laughed from his seat off to the side.

"If he wins I grant him his freedom, if he loses I don't have to replace him since he was my prisoner to begin with. It's a win-win situation, really."

I watched as the chains fell from the humans wrists, clattering onto the rocky ground. The guards backed away. I saw something gripped in his hand under his sleeve, and was shocked to see a tiny knife in his hand. A small weapon was always granted when fighting a non-bender. This time I laughed, throwing my head back, scornful of this entire situation.

"Really? Not do you have someone stand in for you, but you have a non-bender! Up against me!" I said, practically in tears over the hilarity I was faced with. Instead of my words upsetting the leader, he just looked down and grinned- knowing something that I did not.

"We'll see." He said slyly. "I'm sure this will be over quickly." With that the loud clash of a cymbal rang, signaling the start of the duel.

There was a moment of hesitation, and I felt pity for the small creature I was about to take down. I wanted him to at least think he had a fighting chance. I stood there, my arms up ready to let flames fly, while the tiny person stood on the other end, arms at his sides and looking down at the ground. I wasn't sure how I felt about taking the life of someone who seemed so weak and tiny. But I wouldn't let anything come between me and restoring my honor.

With a cry of battle escaping my mouth I ran at him, expecting him to at least run back, or try and escape. Or… do anything. Instead I ran to the hooded figure all the way, holding two flames in my palm, ready to bear them down on the person and make it quick. When I should have felt my hands make contact with flesh they grabbed at nothing, making me stumble and have to regain my balance.

"Huh?" I questioned, the sidestep was so small I wasn't sure if he even dodged, that instead I missed. I knew he dodged when I lashed out again. This time he ducked and I again only made contact with the air. Furious, I aimed for where the stomach would be, but he stepped to the side and a cold hand made contact and gripped my wrist after it had swung forward to deliver the blow. After an heartbeat of stillness a force shoved me back and I slid half way across the arena.

Shocked, everyone remained silent. The figure stood away at a distance again, hands folded neatly behind its back. I was angry now, and I went in again full force. This time I didn't hold back as I delivered blow after blow. To my amazement, the tiny human dodged each time. Ducking and stepping and sliding out of the way of my hands. I continued to attack again and again, but with a speedness that I've never seen before he just kept stepping out of the way. I was furious this person was making me an object of ridicule. I screamed and flew my entire self at him and let out a cry as I only made contact with the dirty ground.

No longer playing nice I kicked out a wall of flame to the person, who simply ducked and rolled away from it without a single burn. I was furious that I wasn't even getting attacked, just getting defense moves. I angrily made daggers out of red hot flames, clutching them both tightly in either of my hands. But before they could hit skin my wrists were stopped with his own wrists. Screaming I continued to stab, just to have my hands redirected to another place. I could hear Zhao cackle from the distance and Uncle Iroh yell out to me.

"Remember the basics!"

After a few more minutes of me desperately throwing flames and punches, I worked up enough flame to lift my foot high and bring it down on top of this tiny mystery, hopefully ending his life and this unique fight. I couldn't even see the hand lift up and grab my ankle above his head, since the movement was far too fast. But there we stood, me balancing on one foot while my other was in a surprisingly fierce grip, the masked fighter holding it up where it stood. There we stood, practically frozen in time for a solid heartbeat. And during that moment I made eye contact with it for the first time.

The covered face had nothing but a slit for the eyes, and when I locked in on a pair of golden eyes similar to mine, I saw something unexpected. Perhaps it was regret. Maybe a look that was almost apologetic? All I knew was that was not the gaze of a killer, but that of someone being forced to do this. And I felt almost bad. In that split second when our eyes met, I forgave this strange hooded person. Because I knew this was not what the fighter wanted.

And just like that the moment ended, and the cold hand that had locked around my ankle was twisted with a fast yet fierce motion. My whole body followed it and I was slammed onto my back, not even having time to suck in air before I felt the person sit on top of me, his knees pushing into my thighs and his hand locking mine to the ground above my head. In the right hand the rusty and ugly knife was clutched, holding it high into the air, the sun reflecting and bouncing a shine back into my eyes. I squinted, baring my teeth in an attempt for a last minute fear factor.

Silence fell over the courtyard, and I could hear my Uncle gasp in sadness. I knew Zhao had a smug look on his face. I gazed up into the silhouette of the person that sat upon me, preparing for my impending doom. I hoped it would be quick, and the knife would enter my heart that it was aimed over with a fast speed. I hoped I would be too shocked to feel anything, and I hoped at least a few people would grieve over my loss. "Do it!" I heard Zhao command.

This is how I was going to die. As an embarrassment whose life was taken by an unknown masked assassin. This was going to be my legacy and I was so bitter about it. After the initial shock of this entire situation wore off, I almost questioned my assassin what was taking them so long. But finally this dark figure made a move. And when the knife should have entered into my bare chest, it was thrown behind me, whirling through the air. It cut through beautifully, spinning in a direction I never would have imagined.

It spun as if in in slow motion, and I breathed in air when I realized it was directly aimed to hit right between the eyes of Zhao.


End file.
